The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-19
THE SUEz SHIP CANAL.
How the Traffic Along the Waterway
Is Managed.


A writer in the Saturday Rcuie,c describes
how the traffic along the Suez Canal is di-
rected and controlled from the Office at Ter
replein, near Suez The number of ships in
the canal at the same time is something very
great. Dec. last, for example, 10 steamers
cleared the canal of which Z were outward
bound The previous day Q ships cleared
and the day before Z, so that during Dec. s
some 30 ships were probably at one time in
the canal. Sometimes there are as MANY as
40, and all are completely under the control
of the French gentleman sitting at his desk
in an upper chamber at Terreplein. The
method of working is exceedingly simple
Against the wall at one side of the room is a
narrow shelf or platform, along which runs
a groove. AT intervals this trough or groove
has deep receSSes, and at two places these
receSses are of larger size. This trough or
groove represents the canal The recesses
are the sidings. The larger intervals are the
Great Bitter Lake and Lake Timsoh. When
a vessel has been signaled and is about to
enter the canal at, say the Suez end, a small
toy boat or model three or four inches long
is chosen to represent her. A group of these
model ships stands ready beside the model
canal, each furnished with n flag About
forty have the English flag, ten or a dozen
the French flag, and SO on with other ma
tionalitieS. As the steamer comes up and
her name is known it is written on paper
and placed ON the toy boat. The whole
number Of ships thus actually in the canal
at any moment can be seen at q glance; and,
as the Geographic signals give notice the
toy boats are moved along, or placed in a
siding, or shown traverSng one Of the lakes
at full speed Signals are sent from TIE
Office to the various "gareSn prescribing the
siding at which each ship must stop to LET
another meet and pass it. The Official who
O. Ill.
receives notice, taking care when perhaps
two ships going in opposite directions are
both nearing the same siding TO give timely
warning 20 the pilots in charge by means Of
the signal balls and flags at each station un-
der his control from the Office. and to direct
which of the two is to lie up and which 10
proceed. Barring accidents. the whole ar
rangenlent goes like Clockwork: the clerk
can read Off in moment the name ton
mage, nationality draught and actual situa-
ton Of every steamer; he can tell what pilot
she has ON board what IL her breadth Of
beam, what rate She Is moving at, and every
thing elfe which has to be known about her:
AMI bee II able without an effort 20 govern
All beer movements, % prescribe, ~ place
whore she % to pas, The night, and the hour
~ which she n 80 get under weigh in the
morning. although he does not zeo her, aud
probably never sHw her IN his life The fcos
which Yos4fH pay for passing through the
canal are r.iou cuOruouH Some ~ the
barge inrr NJ thC pcninmilnr and Oriental.
or tne Ou'u' smyicr pny a. much Ha 81 ~O
boz making % single transit For every JAS.
sigir tslf napoleon, or eight billings mud
ilul p'u0a. b. charged Thne fouiihs ~ the
fIIps ihni 20 through tbe ranal ere English
fllshHa fhrr ieane sheen.
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